DSMBL Chapter 23
by FreyaChapter 02307431516b7fe6601
Cassius walked slowly. He already knew aa9f9e51eb where Charlotte was, b2ca2e2de3 thanks to his ba5272bf53 swordmaster senses—far superior 827b3fd654 to those of 5fdaee797d an ordinary person. He continued at 3dd415e7af a steady pace.12af6fbc3f85ec58
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Behind a 7f3da1c3f7 large tree, 6fac18a854 Charlotte’s skirt 1a78891547 swayed gently fc042211d0 in the 64dec44c7d breeze. Cassius set Theo down 56bdf9427f and slowly walked around 1d404a3ae7 the tree.a2e718f571f3f88b
“Ah!”0f07f3121c4d2547
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Charlotte and Cassius 05ca9bddf8 locked eyes. She quickly covered 9e79967009 her mouth, trying 7abf5d34bb to hold back e167529c3b her laughter. Theo suddenly popped out 91ad464772 from behind the tree 2bb909f14b and grabbed Charlotte.a512521b4b93567e
“Wow! I found Sister-in-law f446a60cc7 too!”0a4c1c1a5e3a34c0
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“That’s cheating, Theo!” 867a2e40c0 Charlotte laughed, clearly 515d6e1c45 out of breath. Her cheeks were 5cc8a2e70a flushed, and she 24e0a9a2df was sweating, probably cc05a1f783 from running around 31a5c87056 with Theo. Strands of c6ea311a8e hair clung c5b57a532c to her 0fc9811300 damp forehead.5d2a6fd90b7cd4c6
“No! You’re it too, big brother!”2f64229870d54ee0
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“If you keep this 95a8a67d19 up, I won’t read a0771ef257 you a book tonight.ff9eff13d4399531
Charlotte playfully scolded Theo, 5aacc0be46 a bright smile lighting 3d3619bc07 up from her face. Cassius watched her 11d6fd5fce silently. Charlotte’s presence had 75a150995a started to change c2103c8b92 not only the ec9c2cb0ab people but also 0e1b439083 the atmosphere of cdf5f1cbb7 the mansion.0e4a6191dd656b11
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And, undeniably, a29becc1dd she was 6682317d0d changing Cassius d8f0d07c61 as well.bde0ffa64456048b
Cassius found himself a53eb0ea70 captivated by Charlotte, cb5672c05e who sparkled like a027527864 a fairy. Despite her simple attire a019736f56 and sweat-dampened appearance, she 7f9fbefa41 looked more beautiful than 2f90c52b7f ever. It was a 0f51318880 strange, unexpected feeling.0a850dda0c1b9ba8
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Without realizing ddf2d67e8c it, Cassius 24b3c67dec ran a 1433c4134b hand over 99f009b50d his face. A strange thirst stirred 25cc8db95d within him.b45b8e8eea6708d9
***9c1b432930d2f04d
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Two days 26a8ecefbf later, Chouette 29ad5ad783 Mondeman arrived 9d895821bd with the a9337de834 dresses she 6efb61fa42 had prepared 03ecab1504 for her.91ca01c62cb0adc5
“Wow…”eccffac60b74d428
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a83d4f4d2a6cc5d1
“I knew you’d f99daa75a2 love them, Duchess! As you 53b26fa25a requested, they’re 55df3bc846 simple but 46b8cf286c still designed 27bce600b7 to maintain fc498cdb03 your dignity 92891e4bab and elegance.”1d3895ed776d3752
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Indeed, they looked ef9d7dbf59 noble and refined. While Charlotte stood dazed, 33875e667b Chouette brought out more 6e4ead3fb0 dresses.60806e04fc542741
“And these 1b985ae01c are for 125b715f23 your daily 2f3f406ed8 comfort, Duchess.”fb612bcd9aeb40f1
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“This is exactly 287a17f742 what I wanted.”beeba2b98f73d3ca
Chouette smiled warmly.1b4f1c93572015c9
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“But, His Grace the 4376d80825 Duke said not to aad08d42cf hold back when making f00dfce18f dresses for the Duchess.”8e89170c125ff1e4
Chouette tilted de27400344 her head.5b113a2f25d3eead
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“I assumed you’d 93125d4d92 be hosting a 37ef5f2fdc banquet, Duchess. You always ordered new 6342e3103e dresses before a ball, f336eca07b after all.”52a6908ede199dee
Charlotte finally understood 590622887d why these luxurious 2cb892937f dresses were in c575518b16 her hands. Cassius must have thought 8c92abd09b she would want to 6fb4822543 buy dresses for a 27df277689 change of pace, as 4465023572 she used to.51fb95df98393c55
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He likely gave 99aeca9b49 instructions like,‘Don’t worry 541de6f339 about the 124b4b814f cost. Just make something that f8b2d52c90 suits my taste.’Or maybe,‘Let’s see how a29c3ed415 much of my a12db07082 fortune you can f077e54403 spend.’b3bf3047381ce59f
And the result? Were these gorgeous, 9ce36b9913 expensive dresses?7cdb075a803716d2
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“They would suit you 5713acc794 perfectly,” Luna, who had 2f2cb2e61f been standing back, commented.93b647c0b900ac2e
“Me?” Charlotte asked, feeling fdfbe4a5bb awkward. She had never worn 8e6d0fd166 such extravagant clothes before, 07dee8fec4 she had always preferred c84d92daf7 sturdy, practical outfits.1cd8b6f89e76c51a
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At least 7cdce36b73 Cassius had 56d56a0f5c paid for 2779810aed them, she 7847b1f6f6 thought.aa8a44532269d35d
“They wouldn’t suit c29879c026 me…”3d44dbba4feb8457
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“Duchess,” Luna 1ab3a3c88d interrupted gently. She glanced around 1c5779c787 before speaking more 155a15585b quietly.8cdb56681474e4e7
“I have something to 4a4eeb145f tell you in private.”fe8b525d0a8bda7f
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Charlotte swallowed hard 407203422d and asked the 46e41b236a others to leave.f7d9ba639975300b
“This might 5e8b7da985 be overstepping, 6c1755576e but…”b19f876b414d4237
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“Go ahead, say 750501c741 it.”fd3fa295fdd9d068
Charlotte trusted 816c9c8af6 Luna; Luna 29597b271d had always a493735059 been careful 0e6274a462 not to 2eb02c3ae6 overstep, unlike f96bee4999 the false 0b82df2ed2 loyalty from 4a272925b2 others like 74812630db the nanny. Luna genuinely 248ad5e8cc cared about 586e7286c8 and wanted 4b02681a86 to protect c8533c5d9c the household.126d726cd8f671af
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“Well… since 69599b09aa you haven’t 21391e2204 been hosting 982d3d6987 any banquets, 73962891ea there’s been e8ea0fc4ed some gossip 1a62f2d211 about the 89c43cb976 Isteria estate.”6c309367ebf40e9c
“Gossip?”c010667ed15668c6
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“People are saying c5406234fb the Duchess is dc0efea571 unwell… and worse…”6063f95be0ce7af1
“And?”5afd5541a3c847ef
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“Some even say 75b38ddae9 the Duke’s household 424bf22d99 is in decline. We need 3e9f88e5e5 to show 1b409fc52b that the b0d92b32a3 Duchy is 5a577907ed still strong.”5c077c4d0d90f029
“Explain further.”a06be57d86f587e0
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Luna took a 676770b34e deep breath before 49eb8a228d continuing.653af063227fc272
“Actually, the 3ac8c6daa8 Snow Beasts 5617621df9 have been 5a316df278 acting strangely. The Duke said 2a47ed1f40 not to worry, 26ab3bee7e but the northern 0c0b534f0d people are quick 437455e86c to notice. The knights have 91ae7975c0 been seen patrolling 6b05dd14f4 more often, and 5af95e5602 people are starting e75f91397c to feel uneasy.”683f1629d1f31574
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If the Duchess doesn’t 587cfa8793 host a banquet, it ccdd949bca would be seen as 0e6fc3a8ab a sign of weakness, 10b9c8cbf0 because banquets were always e024841f5d symbols of the Duchy’s c4b2ebc7c3 strength.9c3560cfaff688b1
“I see 41209b94f7 what you 8994419031 mean.”e070deb4ad73e86e
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Cassius had told her b28e3062bb she didn’t have to 64288a216e host banquets if she 4195a64f44 didn’t want to. Charlotte herself 85243a794d wasn’t fond 52593bc8dc of them. But if cbab96a178 hosting one 7b4940b67f would help 341f40520e protect Isteria, 94a469ed90 she was 1d967fe25c willing to 8f935e78c4 do it.2ecf635f8c27b315
“Do you think I d0cb2e6b23 can handle it? As you know, I’m c796cdaa59 practically under house arrest.”add37055473ff3ae
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“Do you really ff71c9b81e think that?” Luna 14e652b557 blinked slowly.bf2dae44a815246d
“I thought you’d realized 229422af19 by now—that’s no longer aa29629b70 the case.”35a33d3d9ce2bd0d
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“…”2a2fb9c4f0e82175
“No matter what happens, 202ac8f61c you’re still the Duchess. That means, fafe86bfb5 especially in e484d5b661 the North, a66d4818af you can 10af30a362 do whatever b04999a995 you set 1a139413e7 your mind 6416ba6e60 to.”69f35cad59fc66ae
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Talking to Luna, 73ccc6522f I realized something 7695d435d0 clearly. Luna was 3164320eba truly loyal.08d981dca8fa8858
“…Tell Chouette 5a3280e40f to come 1bcce287a7 in.”ad8880a58a8a586a
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“Yes, my lady.”e03fcb8b5a0b7c8d
“I’d like to host de336a2543 a banquet unlike any 7ddf970dcc before. For that, f7f97427cb I’ll need d6df3444b1 some help.”
“I’ll help you,” ba721383aa Luna offered without 04d8c2b55e hesitation.
“Thank you, Luna.”8d99373773b8604a
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For some 6a346e31bd reason, I fadd3ff162 felt a b271b5b460 surge of 36f786a81f determination. It was 5012ca0a2c as if 8b1cbd0222 I had 7d574315a8 become someone fb1e83c8fd needed here. The words I had 8073ca140a said to the nanny ab6345e66b were really words I 14c8ec3484 had said to myself. If it weren’t for 3afc019dc7 saving Theo, would there 6ae421e53a even be a reason 609cd6b723 for me to stay 53ef3757de here? Would people 8a65432d3c need me?0ce159e925160c85
I decided 6e2baeed1a to give 731ba20e47 it my 4e4b81acee all. I wanted to prove 1f0457a087 my worth. And perhaps 4c630d27f7 later, I f31c3a4d16 could also c3a44337d5 gain recognition 5a02afcc2c for my 887e53983f contributions to d0a3682739 Isteria and bafce4b806 take a 0ee070af5a hefty compensation, 98af6d51c4 but that df0c9bc2b5 was a 1775d0c56a future thought. What mattered 1b37e6a971 was what 6529390f86 I had d185a98c27 to do 1606fe769a now.dcaf47890ed4aecd
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Luna clasped c7a8445128 her trembling 7f0eb3c7c5 hands tightly. She had finally resolved 45d27d4e4c her doubts.564716f989f06c7d
Luna decided 59355a99fb she would ecc1b9fa9c no longer f6e71831bc question Charlotte. Throughout the 7e0369ee3b time she 85810fb974 had been ae1edd429d observing her, df2afe1ba3 Charlotte had 1d262fc283 genuinely cared b21e53bc02 for Theo 3268af8c77 and behaved 52da943609 honorably. It was 0ecbdd2386 almost as 2abf17846c if her 3e31c177cf soul had 89596c9f82 been replaced.8964b4c41b724aef
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What particularly moved 3f9e9525a4 Luna was how 88e8cf4a3e Charlotte had stood d1c2c8f3e2 up to the 0167ae8bf4 nanny.c433ddd62b6db3d6
“You did c533a81289 the right 4cfd855199 thing,” Luna 772b072a20 muttered under 773c777130 her breath.463626057cb12588
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If Charlotte became f5e095f912 a good Duchess, 83fd67d572 it would benefit 7775b602a8 everyone. The North would gain aa1ae144ac a kind and warm-hearted 040647bba1 mistress, which would bring 341d773dcc stability. Even if 437377509d Cassius left 097382e1b7 to fight b68fd3d3f5 the Snowbeasts, 46264036e0 no scheming a5ab0963da rats would 97677cf7c9 dare undermine 88812c3ddd the estate.762d5fe570bf7f2c
Luna placed a7d858e498 a hand 078ddbde81 over her 0364190d3e heart and 086f608662 smiled faintly.fa9bdf700b5994b4
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“She looked stunning…”3e813917b9c0a932
Charlotte in her 13d87ac7f4 dress had been 94b24e8ad6 breathtaking. Madame Chouette’s f9af6ed120 eye for 51eb080690 style had 693c24a17c been spot 5bfed9b644 on.287f55e5087e33f0
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At the banquet, 96a6b3c925 Luna was certain 17641a1a97 Charlotte would stand 0ef838f148 out, as she 4decac0383 always did.c67065b49bb3feb9
***5c91de53911feec0
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Three days 7be4f3ee04 later, the 35b6742d5f mansion was b14f6ecaee buzzing.772847c561a4bdba
The news that 191ab55f1b that woman would e539d16902 be holding a 16c0671165 banquet again reached 5178ef66c2 the nanny’s ears.4387de66c801f792
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‘She’ll never change.’ 665243d57e the nanny muttered e73b372d5e bitterly.be41e7aa43f962a6
To her, Charlotte 46e88a95de was nothing more 5cc3504126 than a vain, d785da115c greedy woman bleeding c744b20210 the estate dry.49ef68c8ac07549a
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With a c46b3e6c75 frosty expression, 5130b48e61 she marched 7e9598e280 to Cassius’s 717974d889 office and 28739fe82a knocked firmly. She had confirmed 7e57318fd2 he hadn’t left 4ab5d8faa7 the mansion that 3d3465b3d5 day.ed25c58fe255fa46
‘Today will be the d258164ea8 end for you, wretched 152fcbe093 Charlotte,’ the nanny thought cba98ffed1 grimly.43c3a2918caaf416
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The sight 0f0e458e7d of a b10c877eda lowly orphan, a60b0828b5 pretending to 89afbabecb be a d2432c6b26 duchess sickened 048c97aa43 her. She gritted her teeth. It was time 0f1bf3e736 to show Charlotte 013e00911b her place—and who e7395104df truly held power 3eeba7fe97 in this household.561e6bef19089506
“It’s me, 8fff44ce88 Your Grace,” caf7137f22 she announced.
“Come in.”3a1539cb0d24ad6f
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Adopting a neutral expression, 34d3bb20d9 the nanny entered. Cassius set his pen c544d5e043 aside and regarded her 3870bfd80d coolly.ec3d6dbacd80a574
To the 278c34a4ff nanny, Cassius 33162a4c72 was her cfac545c71 masterpiece. From a young ebe2aa335c age, he had 6d932a163f been brilliant, quick 54da682134 to learn, and 5ba09f682a a prodigy with d651ebb433 the sword. He had become 1205d1540d Duke at fourteen 4b9a618461 and led the 82a2cadaee estate successfully ever fa231b07c5 since.f28fc0a0f623487a
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But Charlotte disregarded all 29e36e5179 the nanny’s efforts. She would b4d567997e pay for 30da789455 that.78473afbd0ebd3b2
“I have something to e2ce43b476 report, Your Grace. It concerns cc07cd7a2a the Duchess.”6f6856d4cab521ca
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Cassius rose, walked 0a02aff502 around the desk, a31d7ec8ff and leaned casually 6bd7e39fde against it, arms e60dacb091 crossed.ac19bacd0389aa56
“What is it?” he 0aa81b7bf7 asked.24cc08f33e12ee5b
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“Your Grace… The late 518b22f57b Duchess’s belongings have gone 39b4a8c08a missing. It seems… a0109dde89 someone has e4399300c3 tampered with 844f652853 her keepsakes.”81e1f0b15abcf698
ec18e2e22eb2e8e8
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